davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
A Ghost in Tennessee.

From the time of the first settlement
of the country there were ghost stories
connected with the old stone fort ON
the Duck River, which about 1884 cul-
minated in remarkable episode, says
the Nashville Anaerico7e In 1888 six
gentlemen, men of high standing, who
lived in Murfreesborough, went out in
the neighborhood of the old fort to have
a fox hunt. The country was thinly
settled, and there were many deer.
After having camped out for several
days one night they saw strange sights,
which caused them to leave next day.
They were not communicative, but the
story got out and was much talked of.
The next fall these same six gentlemen,
with nine others, went back and
camped upon the same spot. It was
said they were quite anxious to see the
same sights that had been seen before.
But week passed and they saw Moth
ing, though they were quite successful
in killing deer.
At the end of about week man
named Latimer got two small boys in
the neighborhood, and fixing up
dumb bull went out to see how they
would stand a strange noise. It was in
the fall, frosty night, the hunters had
a big fire and were in great glee. For
three hours the dumb bull was made to
do work from different points of the
woods at safe distance. At first the
hunters were disposed to laugh, then
they got quiet, finally they commenced
shooting. Many guns were fred. This
was keptup until the man and two boys
left, which was about midnight. Be-
tween midnight and day the whole If
teen men left the camp, leaving their
meat and other things, and went to Q
farmhouse, the house where the two
boys who Lad been in the mischief were
sleeping. Next morning the hunters
told wonderful stories about what they
saw, how it came close up to the fire,
and how impervious it was to their bull
lets, how it changed about from an ami
NAL to woman, and what it would say.
The two boys were as still as mice, for
they had stolen off from their father by
the persuasion of Latimer, who was
himself hunter and wanted to drive
these hunters away.
The fifteen men left that morning
and went back to Murfreesborough to
verify and make good the ghost story of
the year before. The story got into the
newspapers, and was the biggest sem
sation that had turned up for many
years. But it got out that two boys and
huntar had scared them away. This
was denied, and the ghost theory was
maintained with heroic verify. One of
the gentlemen, Jack Fletcher, was
often member of the Legislature
afterward, but this ghost story always
stuck to him. Another one of them,
Len Sims, was a member of Congress
from Missouri and was war Democrat
in 1s47. After making war speech,
Wing, who was not for the war, told
the Tennessee ghost story, with much
coloring, on Sims. It was said to mod
ify his war spirit very much.
This knighthood service in the land
of ghosts took place tifty-three years
ago. All the participants are dead but
one of the boys who lives to write this
story and verify its truth.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
A Racing Stable.

For centuries past racing has been
styled q royal pastime, and right
costly one it is at that. When at the
close Of season, the statement is
made that certain stable has captured
100000 in stakes and purses, the idea
prevails that all of the methods of gain
ing money this must be be the most de-
lightful and exciting of its class. But
as the French axiom runs, there is re-
verse side to the picture, and in many
cases with somber colors, owing to the
vast sums that are required to carry on
large establishment of thoroughbreds.
Neither in Europe nor in this country
can case be mentioned where racing
has yielded handsome returns when
established on grand scale and when
entries are made in the principal
stakes and purses throughout the
country. This is the reason why the
owners of such establishments are
often obliged to back their horses in
the books in order to balance their
accounts at the end of the season.
Lord Falmouth, who is now the
largest winner on the English turf,
has often remarked that the keeping
of more than dozen horses in train
ing simply meant money thrown away,
and large stables in this country in
variably met with the same experience.
Owing to the keen competition for
thoroughbreds Of high degree, the first
cost Of mounting an establishment is
very important item in the required
expenditure, running on an average
from 800 to $1,000 head as year
lings. Next come the training ex-
pen>es, about IS week; Jockeys fees
from $40, 900 to $15, 900 a year; then the
entries to various stakes at all the racss
ing centers, and lastly, the travelling
expenses, which are very heavy, espe-
cially for stables that are winterelon
this coast.
1t is thus safe to say that such racing
establishments as those of Haggin or
the Dryer Brothers cost annually from
$4,000 to 100000, counting merely
the interest on the money expended in
the purchase Of stock.
There is also constant danger from
epidemic diseases in large establish
ment, as one horse suffering from cold
or influenza will often give the COM
plant to all his companions, and this,
in the midst of campaign, means al
most an irreparable loss. Then, from
some unknown cause, stable gets out
OF luck and form, and not horse can
be brought to the post in proper condi-
Nnn7 EI.O lJ/.j cen ('I1.0112t.|o
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
Saving California.

Gen. Fremont tells this story of how
California was prevented from becom-
ing an English colony:
at was away back in the 4Os, that I
considered that problem, and when the
historian, George Bancroft, was Sec
rotary Of the Navy I had frequent con-
sultations with him and with Senator
Benton, and it was understood that I
was to prevent the English from antic-
ipating us in securing that country.
Off the coast of California the British
fleet was closely watching our fleet, and
in 1916, three years before the famous
s'49ers' possessed the land, organized
band of picked, hardy men, and soon
weeded out every man that was not
thoroughly reliable. They would fol-
low me anywhere. I moved down to
Monterey and camped there. For
awhile was tolerated, but soon,
through British intrigue, the Govern
ment OF Mexico ordered its military
forces to drive me out. I fortified,
and-knowing the secret understands
ing with high officials at Washington
I was inclined to hold my ground, but
they came on in such numbers and got
me in such hot place, that when the
wind blew down my flag said: "Boys,
I guess we will accept this as an omen
that we are to get out of this and so
we retreated up toward the North. I
was soon overtaken by Government
agent, and, encouraged by what he
communicated, I instantly turned.
Though hindered by some of the worst
Indians on the coast, I hurried back,
going right into the disputed country.
When I got down as far as Monterey,
but away inland, I raised the Ameri-
can flag and took possession of Cali
fornia for the United States. Com
mander Sloat sailed into the harbor of
Monterey, and hearing that I had
planted the American flag near him he
raised it over Monterey, supposing that
had acted by express orders of the
Government. Admiral Seymour COM
ing into Monterey informed Commodore
Sloat of the real condition of things,
and said to him that in three days the
English would have had their flags over
Monterey if they had not been antici-
pated. The Commodore, fearing CEN
sure, gave up his command on the
coast; but the deed was done, and our
hold on California became permanent.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
Mistaken E!Ouuence.

In country debating society in
Kansas, few years ago, the subject
of debate was as to the relative beauties
of the works of Art and the works of
Nature. One old gentleman waxed
eloquent, describing the beauties of
some of mans creations, and graph
ically described Niagara Falls and
Mammoth Cave. He painted in glow
ing terms the falling waters Of the first
and the hanging stalactites of the sec
ond. Some of his hearers thought the
old man had forgotten which side he
was on, but this fear was quickly dis
sipated by his saying: "And now,
what built the Mammoth Cave and
Niagara Falls? Did Nature do it? No,
sir! Money and the skill of man made
them. "-Detroit Free Press.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
Coca Culture.

Coca, shrub growing wild on the
mountains OF Peru and Bolivia, is COM
ing into extensive cultivation on ac-
count of the rapidly increasing demand
for cocaine, the principal alkaloid OBJ
tanned from it's leaves. The plant re-
sembles the tea-plant, is cultivated in
rows like Indian corn, and in two years
attains its full height Of five or six
feet, bearing leaves about two inches
long, with white blossoms and red
berries. The leaves are gathered sew
eral times year, and the bushes pro
duce for many years. The peculiar
virtues of coca as nerve stlmulant
have long been known, not only to
medical men, but to the Peruvian In
dams and miners, who chew the leaves
mixed with quick-lime, much as to-
bacco is chewed, and who are thus
enabled to resist fatigue to remarka-
BILE degree. It was not until 1861,
however, that the active principle was
isolated, while the great value OF CO.
caine as q local anaesthetic was acct
dentally discovered only some three
rears aro.-ArkansaaU Traveller.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
Natural Cotton.

"This bale of cotton seems to be un-
usually heavy, old man." said cotton
buyer to a negro whose cotton he
had just weighed.
"Yas, sab; vas. Raised in mighty
low groun' down naixt ter de bayou,
sab. Ole Tom Neil bad some raised
down dar dat's heavier den dis"
'sBut this seems to be little too
heavy"
"Oh, it's nachul, sab; it's nachul.
Mighty heavy dew down in dat low
groun' at night. Almos' think dar'd
been er rain ever mawnin', sab. Yes,
it's nachul."
eyes, but don't care about paying
you until open this bale"
''Dar amt no use'n openin' de bale,
sab; no use er tall. Cotton's all dar,
nachul an mighty fine. Look out,
boss, doan Tar de cotton ter pieces dat
erway. Look out-injer it foolin' long
wild it dat erway. Oar, datll do. Oh,
yer see, it's nachul. Low groun'-"
The cotton buyer hauled out a log
of green wood. ''What do you call
this?"
"Sah?"
II say what do you call this?"
'W'y, sab, some O de cuts things"
''Never mind. What do you call
this?"
Clocks like wood, sab; I'll be blame
eff it doan. Is it sho' huff wood
boss?"
"You know we'll enough what it is.
you good for nothing old rascal"
"Who do?"
'You do, you thieving-"
TIA kere, now; ia kere. Neber seed
dat wood till dis mint, an I doan
know how it got dar. Muster dropped
in wen want lookin'."
IT think it dropped in when you
were looking. Take your cotton
away from here. I don't want it.
"W'y, sab, jes pay me fur de cotton
an let de wood erlone. Wat YER
mean by SIGH capers? Huh, I ain
axed yer to take de wood. Ill
ain er pusson to force nuthin' on er
man Wen he doan' want it. Vas, sab,
dat's mighty fine cotton. Raised
down dar-"
"Take it away, I tell you. Take
it away or I'll burn it up"
''W'at, come 'stroyin' er mans
property widout gibin' him warnin'?
Onreasonablest man cher seed, an it
doan peer ter me like yer wanter ack
homes nohow; an wanter tell yer
right yere dat ain gwine ter hab no
mo- dealin' wild yer. Eff dar's any
thing spices it's er unhones' wife
mal. "-Arkansav Traveller.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

The people are aware that on Bedloe's
Island, in the harbor of New York,
stands the statue of Liberty, with q
flaming torch in its uplifted hand; the
poetical purpose being to enlighten the
world. BY the human eye the light
can be seen at distance of thirty-six
miles, and by the birds eye much
greater distance; and as the squall
shows so much the worse for the birds,
particularly those which are seeking
the sunny south land to spend the
winter The New York Herald says
that during one night recently 1865
birds were burned to death by Liberty's
torch, and that among the dead birds
found in the morning at the base of the
statue there were specimens of more
than one hundred distinct species. The
largest bird was q Canadian wood
pecker. 1t measured thirteen inches
from wing to wing, and its girth was
correspondingly great. The smallest
bird was a one-inch long, lovely
plumaged humming bird. An examine
ton proved that the heat of the light
had blinded the unfortunate creatures,
and that in not few cases their brains
were actually roasted. Strictly speak
ing, hardly any of them were dashed
to death, but were fatally burned and
blinded. It is not often that such q
bird calamity is recorded, and if it
goes on during the migratory seasons
the torch of Liberty will depopulate
the forests of the birds of beautiful
plumage and captivating song.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

FHE California Pioneer Society has
ection of timber taken from the side
fhe Powhatan, including portion
the skin, which is four inches thick,
piece of the abutting knee, which
nine inches thick. Transversely
Pugh the whole q swordfsh has
he'd his sword, and the portion
ken off is still left imbedded in the
Der. The sword pierced through
|rteen inches of solid oak, and the
was going in the same direction as
vessel, which was under a good
ID OF steam. An idea of the strength
Fch must have been exerted can be
aimed from the fact that ritled six
Under could not have done more
IN pierce that thickness of wood.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
If Mayor of Horton, KY, winds up

lhE Mayor of Horton, KY, winds up
inaugural message to the corpor-
Oh of that new city as follows:
Allemen, the index finger of the
la oil time points far down into the
fnlng Of the nineteenth century.
zen prove yourselves men. Shake
moss off your backs. Leave old
4 ism to occupy the dry-goods box
corner grocery. Grid yourselves
F~ and go forth determined to do
II Whole duty by your charge. You
/ meet with opposition, as all enter
[FnS people do. Overcome it as
EEs,fpflslns people always do. Al
f,aS the discordant braying of the
FAer may be heard upon the streets,
T. gentlemen, heed him not. He
~ weight enough to make his heels
[se'lve. He is necessary evil and
''u' IN his way. His presence is evil
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

HE sword which Gen. George
lies wore from the beginning of the
to the day he was killed, and was
his body at his death, has been
ICED in the keeping of w. Fl. Gil
+, of Albany, Ga, survivor of the
Georgia, for the ensuing year, Mrs.
Yes having consigned it to the custody
the 4th Georgia at its second re-
ION at Talbotton. Each year at the
(nion the sword passes, as mark of
Por, from one to another Of the sur
|ors Of the regiment. 1t is an ordi-
r cavalry saber, with shark-hide
Pdle and silver-plated hand guard.
E blade is of the finest tempered
|el, and was elegantly engraved, but
|t has somewhat impaired it. A
Rss scabbard sheathes the slender
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
lie Had Forgotten His Own Name.

Alderman Allen sat in his chair on
his magisterial dais busily engaged
making a docket entry. There en-
tered couple, young man and wo-
man. The Alderman looked up in
quiringly, and the young man said:
We've come to get married, sur.
every good" remarked the magis-
trate, "what is your name?"
"Begorrah, forgit," said the groom,
with look of horror on his face"
GAS you are son of your father per-
haps by thinking of his name you can
remember yours, suggested the Alder
man.
"Bedad, I have it! Moike McShane,
Your Honor, an its the furst tonne
liver I forgot my own name"
Then Mike and his bride were made
one, the Alderman loosely suggest
ing that he was doing wise thing
getting married, as he could consult
his wife when he happened to forget
who he was.-Chester Times.
The first sprines ., like
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
Aluminium Allows.

OF the alloys of aluminium, the
series formed with copper, and known
as aluminium bronze, are the most i'm
portant. The alloy containing 80 per
cent. Of copper and 10 of aluminium is
the most prominent Of these, and was
discovered as long ago as 1856 by DR..
John Percy. 1t has deep golden
color, specific gravity of II, and can
be shaped at red heat and hammered
until cold without cracking. The alloys
change to white in color when the pro-
portion of aluminium reaches about 20
per cent.--Arkansa1v TraUeler.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

IN edition of the Constitution of the
fted States. of which many copies
Re sold during the celebration, says
Philadelphia Ledger, was found,
len compared with a verbatim copy,
contain 1,179 errors. The majority
these were trivial, 877 being failures
capitalize words in the manner Of the
final instrument, and 6 being in the
Of italic type instead of Roman.
ere were, however, 260 errors in
II errors in spelling, II
prs in numbering paragraphs, one
Id omitted, and another inserted.
the book was published by gen
Ny very careful firm of law pub
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

Mrs. VAN ZANDr, mother of 0ina
N Zandt. the proxy bride of August
lies, is said to be woman of tact
b high breeding. She is now at
hpting to obtain contributions to
knish further legal sinews in the
hi of the condemned Anarchists for
4, Mrs. Van Zandt has most I'M
ppromising way of expressing her
es and dislikes. OF August Spies
says: "He is the most Christlike
b I ever met" She feels certain
y if Spies is hanged her daughter
h become insane.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

IN East Tawas (Mich.) man recently
prviewed q clarivoyant, who told
where to bore for gas and be sure
ind it. She described his farm ex-
", told him to take not more nor
than five people, and to stop boring
|oon as gas was struck, as below it
an immense field of salt. She
} told him where to find an album
ce Of iron on his farm. Although he
not tell the woman his name nor
place of residence, he has found
piles of his soil that bear 81 per
|. iron, and is wondering what five
pie he would better let into his gas
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

|TuE Rev. Adirondack Murray, whose
|ecialty is fish stories, crossed the line
y Canada the other day, and came
liz crestfallen. OF tho lying capacity
Ehe French Canadian he says: "There
! childish enthusiasm about it that
uivates you. He smiles as he lies.
, laws his hands on his heart; he lifts
ewes upward; he embellishes the
lie lie with sanity illusions; he lies
N he believed his own lie."
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

IT would be difficult to find any sort
OF personal property that was not, I'M
der the pressure of unforeseen circum-
stances, at some time or other pledged
for the payment of debt. But that a
woman should pledge her teeth is
something entirely new. It happened
the other day at suburban pleasure
resort of the city of Frankfort-on-the-
Main, Germany. A young couple had
enjoyed a good supper and were about
leaving, when the male half was
shocked to find that his purse was gone.
He walked up to the hostler, told him
OF his dilemma, and begged of him to let
him go, promising that the money
should be sent the next day. The land
lord said he would detain the couple
bodily until the bill was paid. Then
the female half Of the couple advanced
and begged of the landlord to grant her
a private hearing, which he did. There,
in the back room, the lady pulled out
of her mouth splendid set of teeth in
gold and offered it as q pledge for the
payment of the bill. That act of hero
ism struck the sordid soul of the pub
lican to the quick, and lie allowed the
couple to depart after the lady had re-
placed the teeth into her mouth. He
received the money next day.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18
Sen s.t Of other peoples prosperity, and
10 MARKS the march of progress Is mile.
stones the distance on the hiohwav

zen. EDWARD HOPKINS of Florida.
VINO died in Jacksonville recently
fought a remarkable duel with Gen
Inaries Floyd, his fathers brother.in-
iaw' IN 1910, The most desperate and
deadly preparations were made. Each
one was equipped with a double-bar-
relied shotgun, heavily loaded with
ouckshot, a brace of pistols, and a
oowle-knife. With a view to accom-.
pilshing the death of one or the other If
guns tailed pistols were to be used, and
II these failed too they were to resort
TO their knives. At the appointed time
both opened fire without the usua, ,,ro.
hm mi and Hopkins fell, pierced
with a dozen or more shot. His an
sagonlst was also seriously wounded.
and both were laid up for months after.
wards.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

ABOUT the middle of November.
earnest e. work will begin between the
United States and Great Britain, to
settle the fishery middle. American
fishermen who go down to the terri
torlal waters of the Dominion of Can
ada and Newfoundland, for Goldfish,
mackerel, and herring, and other scaly
Injuries. have had, and are having a
pretty hard time of it; and the British
authorities on land and sea have acted
more like pirates than civilized men;
and it is we'll understood that settle
ment OF the vexed questions involved
cannot be safely postponed. The
British Government has appointed Mr..
Chamberlain, and Mr.. Bayard has APP
pointed William L. Putnam, of Maine,
and James B. Angel, Of Michigan, to
sit on the commission. Mr.. Putnam is
a lawyer, and Mr.. Angel is the Presi-
dent of the University of Michigan.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

p0,scE ALBERT VICTOR, of Wales,
= severely stung by wasps the other
I at Balmoral. His Royal Highness
inadvertently on nest, and being
:.od in a kilt he soon discovered that
[otch waspies and bare knees are
Lorn foes.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

TRUTH is the object of our under
standing, as good is Of our will; and
the understanding cannot more be
lighted with lie than the will can
choose an apparent evil.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

/ rv WALLACE dedicated "Ben Hur"
h the wife of my youth" So many
Irnathetic readers wrote him con-
! o.orv letters under the belief that
wife was dead that in the late
[;t;ons of the book Mr.. Wallace has
(ded the line: "Who still abides
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

THOUGH color be the lowest of all
the constituent parts of beauty, yet it
il vu!garly the most striking. Joseph
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

Do NOT wait for extraordinary oppor-
tunities for good actions, but make use
Of common situations. Goethe
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

COPS mercy would be a valuable
commodity to many, if it could be sold
in small quantities at high prices
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-18

The first spri'1es
those of great river
and little. -Sari.i&